Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much better then before, 25 Mar 2008
Troy (Director's Cut) is so much better than the theatrical version that it is almost hard to believe that they are in essence the same movie. That is not to say that this new version is perfect, it isn't. As with the Theatrical version, the acting is in some instances passable at best and it takes quite a few liberties with the accepted version of events according to Homer. However, what it does do is make the film run far more smoothly than it did before. Considering over 30 minutes of footage has been restored it actually seems to make the film a lot tighter than it was before. The rather disjointed, lacking in focus theatrical version is now replaced with a movie that always keeps you engrossed. Not just in the battle scenes which are really quite brilliant but also in the political intrigues and infighting amongst both the Greeks and the Trojans. Brad Pitt always seems to divide people as to his worth as an actor. I happen to think he is actually quite good. In Troy he is the leading man and he does a good job of holding the film together. According to Homer, Achilles was the most beautiful and the deadliest warrior of his age. Pitt is undoubtedly in excellent physical condition but he also manages to convey Achilles coldness and mastery of arms. His Achilles is a killing machine who cares for almost nothing but his own personal glory. He knows what his alternative futures are before he sails to Troy, but he would rather die young covered in glory than live to be old surrounded by love. There is a vacant look in Achilles eyes almost as though he is aware of everything that is happening around him but doesn't really care as long as it does not seem to personally affect him. However, in war, every action has a knock on effect and Achilles discovers this to his own personal loss. Achilles is not an easy role to take on, but Pitt does it well and he makes Troy a better film because of it.
On a side note, why do film companies continue to keep on ripping off the average punter who buys DVD's. If you are a film fan you are always going to want to see exactly what the director wanted to show in the first place. I can accept that for the theatre sometimes you have to trim the film down a little to make it a more palatable running time for people to be prepared to go and see or in some cases to cut down on some of the director's wilder excesses. But surely when they release the DVD they could make both the theatrical and the director's version available at the same time or on the same package. After all it's not like the footage isn't already available. Too many times I have come across extended additions and director's cuts, mere months after they have released the theatrical version. I know it's too much to hope for that they will stop ripping us off, but I would just like them to know that it's pretty poor show from them.
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32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
At last, now available in epic cut, 10 Jan 2008
The new director's cut of Troy might at over 3 hours be rather long to have been sitting in a cinema, but for home theatre, this is now finally the movie punters wished it could be when it first came out. The extra scenes - a mixture of character moments and action scenes, truly change it from a bit of a muddle, to something approaching classic status.
The battle scenes add little, but the character scenes change and explain the dynamics of the characters, in particular Sean Bean's Odysseus, and the tension between King Agamemnon and Achilles.
There is still a problem with the casting... no-one really looks that comfortable in their roles, neither Eric Bana, Brad Pitt and certainly not Orlando Bloom. Only Peter O'Toole really fits the part, at least as much of a part as he is given. Diane Kruger looks pretty, but whether it is the script, or her acting, it is difficult to say - but she never quite seems worth putting a thousand ships to sea for.
That aside, the battle scenes are visceral, and if this movie added anything new, it was the mano-a-mano battles with Achilles, which are terrifically well choreographed to make you really believe in his invincibility.
Extras are prolific - I gave up before I managed to exhaust all the topics, which are conveniently arranged in segments a few minutes long, so you can either watch all together or search for just the parts which interest.
A worthy package which goes some way to restoring the reputation of this previously maligned movie.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
MUCH BETTER, 30 Oct 2007
Although i liked the version that we saw at the cinema there was something missing.
After buying and watching this dvd it is a travesty that this was not allowed to be seen at the cinema/
The whole film has a completion to it. New scenes, more character understanding, this is a must for anyone who thought the cinema version was not quite good.
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